Asstgnob to



(No Model.)

W. D. MAYFIELD.

STREET GAR.

Patented May 19, 1

WITNESSES Attorney N4 PETERS. Phulwulhn n hcr. Washinglon, D. (L

1 UNITED YSTATES PATE T OFFICE.

. WILLIAM DUDLESFMAYFIELD, OF FORT WORTH, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR TO WM. F. MAYFIELDAND 'I. T.

MAYFIELD, OF SAME PLACE.

STR'EET CAR.

SPECIFICATIONfo'rming part of Letters Patent No. 318,274, dated Miay 19, 1885. Application filed March 24, 1885. I (Yo model T coldly/Mun, it may concern:-

Be it. known that I, WILLIAMDUDLEY MAYFIELD, a citizen of the United States,- residing at Fort NVorth, in the county of Tarrant and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in- Hitching Attachments for Street-Cars; and I do hereby declare that the following isa full, clear, and

exact description of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon.

My invention is an improvementin streetears, and has for an object to provide a draft attachment by the-use of which the necessity of turn-tables will be obviated,and the horses will not'have to be unhitched from the car un- I til they have finished their work.

i The invention consists, broadly, in the combination, with a car, of a draft attachment connected thereto and adjustable from end'to end of the car. I

The invention consists, further, in the combination, with a car having a continuous hearing, of the draft attachment having-a band encircling and moving on said bearing.

The invention further consists in certain constructions and combinations of parts, which will be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure l is a vertical longitudinal section of aportion of acar provided with my improvements. Fig. 2 is an end view of same. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on about line 00 00, Fig. 1; and Fig. 4 is a detached view of one end of the lower section of the car floor or base.

Heretofore it has been usual to employ turn- I tables at the opposite end of a route on which to turn the car, and double-ended cars have also been used, in the use of which the team is unhitohed at the ends of the route and then driven around and hitched to the other end of the car; but these constructions are inconvenient, and it is found desirable to provide means by which the team may be connected with and adjusted from end to end of the car without unhitching. This I accomplish by my invention.

In carrying out the invention the floor or base of the car is usually provided with a groove, A, extending from its edges-inward and formed entirely around the car. In this groove are arranged the anti-friction guidepulleys B on vertical axles b. These pulleys form the continuous bearing for the draft band, presently described.

One of the pulleys B is supported on a movable bar or bracket, 0, the stem D of which is slotted at d to permit the passage of the clamping-screw, which turns into the body of the floor. This movable pulley forms an adjustable section of the bearing, and it may be set out to tighten the band of the draft attachment.

The draftattachment comprises a tonguearm, E, and a band, F. The band F is preferably a flexible endless rope or belt, and encircles the bearing, fitting comparatively tight thereon. I 7o Connecting-bars G are secured between their ends to the band F, with their adjacent ends close together. The inner or base plate, 0, of the arm E is pivoted at g to the bars G at the juncture of the latter and the band F. These rods G serve to form broad bearings against the belt, to receive any strain exerted back thereagainst in turning from one to the other end of the car.

A rest, rod, or bar, II, extends entirely around the outsideof the car and serves as a support for the tongue, especially when the latter is being turned to the opposite end of the car. This rest also serves as a step for the passengers in entering and leaving the car.

The latch-plate I has its rod iheld to and movable vertically on the dash-board, usually one at each end of the car. These plates have notches J, fitted to receive the tongue-arm, and 0 their opposite edges are beveled so that the said arm will readily slide into engagement with the notch. I prefer to use these latches because thereby the tongue is held to its normal place; but obviously they may be dis- 5 pensed with, when so desired.

The operation is simple. When one end of the line is reached, the horses are not detach ed or the car turn ed, but the team is driven around the car to the opposite end. On the tongue I fix a standard, K, to which the reins may be fixed, and the driver can walk with his cash-box through the car and meet theteam at the other end. Y

Manifestly, many modifications may be effected without departing from the principles of the invention; The band F, instead of being made flexible, might be a circular inflexible ring of metal, and the continuous bearing on the car be circular and with or without antifriction pulleys. It will also be understood that instead of the band F the upper and lower walls of groove A might be formed with grooves, forming a race. or guide, and the tongue-arn1 be supplied with one or more rollers sliding in said grooves, and be thus reversible on the car; or the tongue-arm might be attached to a suitable frame or beam, and the latter be pivoted centrally to the top of the car, so thatit could be turned from end to end. These changes, it is obvious, would not involve a departure from the broad principles of my invention; butIprefer the construction as shown and before described.

Having thus described my invention, what Iclaim, and desire to secure by Letters Pat-- ent, is I 1. The combination, with a car, of a draft attachment connected thereto and adapted to be adjustable from one end of the car to the other without being detached or removed therefrom, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination, with a car provided with a continuous bearing, of a draft attachment having a band encircling such bearing and movable thereon, whereby such attachment may be adjusted from end to end of the car, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with a car provided with a continuous bearing, ofa draft attachment having a band encircling and movable-on such bearing, said band being flexible, whereby to readily conform to the bearing, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination, with a car provided with a continuous bearing and a continuous rest attached to the car outside of said bearing, of the draft attachment having aband encircling} said bearing and a tongue-arm supported and movable on the rest, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination of the car having acontinuous bearing supplied with -anti friction pulleys and the draft attachmenthaving a band encircling said bearing and engaging the anti-friction pulleys, substantially as set forth.

6. A car having a continuous bearing pro-. vided with a movable band-tightening section, combined with a draft attachment having a flexible band encircling such bearing, substantially as set forth. I L

7. The combination of a car, a draft attachment connected with and adj ustable from end to end thereof, and latch devices whereby to hold the said draft attachment, substantially as set forth. a

8. The combination of a car having a con.- tinuous bearing,a flexible band encircling said bearing, two connecting-bars secured between their ends to the band, and the tongue-arm having its inner end pivotally attached to the connecting-bars at the point of juncture of the latter with the band, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the above I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM DUDLEY MAYFIELD. Witnesses: P

F. M. BRAN'ILY, GEO. F. REvEs. 

